Yamaha's jet drive boat model has a supercharged, single engine jet drive power system in a 19'2'' (5.84 m) watersports-ready package. In our review of the Yamaha AR192 we will look at several items we think make this boat stand out amongst other models in class. The most obvious is the supercharged, single engine and jet-drive set up, but the fact that the entire boat -- hull, deck and the engine are made by the same company is also noteworthy. With a fold-down tower, premium sound system, and sport topsides, the Yamaha AR192 has a MSRP starting at $32,999.

Engine Options

Yamaha AR192 (2014-) Captain's Report

The Yamaha AR192 is a 19’2’’ (5.84 m) sportboat with a single supercharged engine powering a jet-drive unit.

Start with the Facts:

The Yamaha AR192 weighs in with a dry weight of 2,176 lbs. (987 kgs.) which is important to note since she is one of the lightest boats in class, and lighter than some 18' (5.49 m) models. Leaning on its experience in PWC design and its larger twin engine jet boat designs, the AR192’s hull is a marriage of all that the team at Yamaha has learned over the years. As far as we can tell, this is the first boat offered with a 1.8L supercharged engine. Not only does Yamaha manufacture and assemble the entire hull and deck components, they also design and build their own engines. In our opinion, this is a huge advantage from a service, reliability, and warranty point of view.

The power comes from the 1.8L, 4-cylinder, 4-stroke, 16 valve supercharged purpose-built Yamaha Marine engine. The 16 valves provide greater efficiency in how the engine breaths while the supercharger boosts horse power by forcing more air into the engine.

The 1812CC supercharged engine is compact and sits neatly under the center aft seat. It is easily accessed.

At the transom the deadrise is 18-degrees and because this is a jet drive power system, the draft is only 14” (0.36 m). This shallow draft is due to the fact that there is no lower unit or an outboard prop down below the bottom of the hull. This provides for excellent skinny water access.

Her beam is 8' (2.44 m) and she carries 30 gallons (114 L) of fuel. Even though this is a high performance engine, it has been optimized to run on regular 87 octane unleaded fuel. The jet drive unit consists of a three blade stainless impeller with a 14.3-degree pitch. The fold-down wakeboard tower comes in black or grey and the hull color can be Black or Space Blue.

The Yamaha AR192 has its wakeboard tow point aft of the helm position. The Bimini top stows back flush against the tower arch and the swing out wakeboard racks can be positioned at various heights.

Interior

Starting forward, Yamaha knows how much fun it is to anchor off a beach or in a quiet cove. With this in mind, the AR192 has a molded-in, self-draining anchor locker with room for line.

The anchor locker on the AR192 is positioned under a pull up step cover at the bow. There are two cleats, one to port and starboard to secure the anchor line.

The AR192 has a distinctive bow flare shape to allow for more room all the way forward.

When looking at a side view of the AR192 it is obvious that the interior width is pushed as far forward as possible, creating a distinct push out or flared look where the hull and deck meet. This was necessary to provide enough room for adults up at the bow. There is storage under the bow seating with the port side opening up into the console behind designed for large and longer items.

The sleek helm layout is a simple, uncluttered design. The throttle is well positioned and the gauges are tucked under the dash brow.

At the helm is the cruise assist which allows the throttle to be set and then increased or decreased by clicking up or down on the rocker button. There is also a three position no-wake mode, actuated via a rocker switch so idling in and out of the marinas takes just the push of a button.

The “J” shape seating starts forward on the port side and continues aft and around to starboard ending just behind the helm seat.

The AR192 has plenty of cockpit space. Notice the storage under the port side bench seat.

To port in the console is a storage bin which also has a 12V outlet, the MP3 jack and stereo. This is held open by a spring support. A gutter runs around the edge, to help keep things dry inside.

The above image shows an aft storage compartment just behind the helm seat which accommodates a full size cooler. The black cap to the right of the picture is the engine flush out port. Since these boats are designed for both fresh and salt water operation, Yamaha added this quick connect feature so a fresh water hose can easily be hooked up to flush out the engine cooling system without opening the engine compartment hatch.

Custom cut snap-in carpeting is standard for all Yamaha models. The AR192 has additional sole storage centered in the walk through. This is a good wet storage bin since the drain is connected to a hose that leads overboard and not into the bilge. Full marks to Yamaha for this feature!

The next area is one that we have been showing on Yamaha boats for years: the stern seating and swim area. Since the engine is so compact, it allows the designers to provide boaters more usable space at the stern.

View of the stern of the Yamaha AR192 single engine jet boat.

The stern seating has comfortable back rests with cup holders to either side and a ski point on centerline. The cleanout port for the jet drive unit is under the seat. The swim ladder is located under the swim platform and the addition of two grab handles will make reboarding easier. Below one can see the jet pump unit. There are obvious advantages for a family with small or younger kids with a jet drive boat.

The AR192 has six pop-up cleats positioned two at the bow, two mid, and two at the stern.

Performance

This nineteen-footer, from the top of her fold-down wakeboard tower to the output of her 1.8 liter supercharged engine, is one little fun machine. Heading off the dock, she was responsive. I never felt like I had to react to the maneuvering peculiarities of a jet drive as I’ve had to do in the past with earlier models. Sure, she’s a nineteen-footer at an attractive price, so I didn’t expect to be riding in the lap of luxury. But Yamaha’s automated production efficiency and attention to detail has provided a feel of luxury I don’t normally expect to find at the entry level in a boat that is all about watersports.

Our test boat tipped the scale at 2,776 lbs. (1,259 kg), including two of us on board. As we accelerated, the GPS struggled to keep up with us as we were on plane in 3.1 seconds and the needle hit 30 in 5.1 seconds. The hull seems to be a perfect match for Yamaha’s purpose-built engine, and I understand that the hull shape is the result of a bunch of tweaking to get the shape of the entry just right. It felt good to me. Our best cruising performance was observed at 6500 rpm where we saw a speed of just under 35 mph using fuel at a rate of 12.95 gph for a range of 73 statute miles, and our top speed was 48.6 mph at wide open throttle.

An improvement I look forward to seeing from Yamaha is full fly-by-wire throttle control. Right now, the throttle lever is linked to the electronic controller by aviation-type wire linkage. Since they already have the electronics in place, it makes sense to me that they should make this change one of these days. On the other hand, one improvement they have made is very effective indeed; it’s called “Thrust Directional Enhancer” and it serves to improve slow-speed handling. It sounded like a sales pitch to me, but I’m pleased to say that my skepticism was proven wrong. This is the most maneuverable jet drive boat that I have ever brought in to a dock. I’m sure a beginner could feel confident right out of the blocks.

Between her ease of maintenance, standard features, and attractive price, it’s not a wonder that Yamaha seems to get more popular with boating families every year. We think this new model offers all the standard features one would expect in a larger boat, but with the twist of industry-leading engine technology. This boat comes with a painted trailer as a complete package starting at $32,999.

Yamaha AR192 (2014-) Test Result Highlights

Best cruise for the Yamaha AR192 (2014-) is 28.5 mph (45.9 kph), and the boat gets 2.68 miles per gallon (mpg) or 1.14 kilometers per liter (kpl), giving the boat a cruising range of 72 miles (115.87 kilometers).

Standard and Optional Equipment

Yamaha AR192 (2014-) Warranty

Yamaha AR192 (2014-) Warranty Information

Warranties change from time to time. While BoatTEST.com has tried to ensure the most up-to-date warranty offered by each builder, it does not guarantee the accuracies of the information presented below. Please check with the boat builder or your local dealer before you buy any boat.

Hull Warranty

Years

5 year

Yamaha AR192 (2014-) Price

Yamaha AR192 (2014-) Price

Pricing Range

$32,999.00

Prices, features, designs, and equipment are subject to change. Please see your local dealer or visit the builder's website for the latest information available on this boat model.